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Common Google Ads Questions & Mistakes

Joe Balestrino • December 22, 2020

Common Google Ads Questions

Over the nearly two decades that I’ve worked in digital marketing there are many common questions clients ask regarding Google Ads. I thought it would be a good idea to share the most common ones I come across to help those who are trying to troubleshoot issues with their Google Ads accounts. 

Is Google Ads Worth the Money?

If you’re looking to get in front of potential customers Google is one way to do that. Advertising on Google is only worth it if it's profitable for your business. This is why it’s important to work with a professional who understands how Google works. 


Many businesses try to manage Google Ads themselves without understand how the Google Ads platform works. Businesses who advertise on their own tend to focus on broad terms. This results in wasting money on irrelevant keywords. Which causes business owners to feel that Google Ads doesn’t work for them. When it’s how they set it up that causes them to fail, not the platform itself. 

What is the average CTR for Google Ads

A good CTR would be 5% for Google ads. Google requires grant accounts recipients to maintain a minimum CTR of 5% to maintain their eligibility in the program. However, you want to always improve the CTR of your keywords and ads. 


While CTR is important what trumps CTR is CPA. A high CTR with a high CPA is not beneficial. However, if you’re not tracking conversions CTR is a good way to gauge relevancy along with time on page. A high CTR with a high bounce rate is still not a good result. 

Why am I not seeing my Google Ads

There are many reasons why your ad is not showing up on Google. The most common reasons are… 



  • Your ad is disapproved
  • Your ad rank is too low
  • Your ad is not scheduled to run
  • Your ads haven’t been approved yet
  • None of your keywords are bid high enough to show your ad
  • You’re not in the target location your ad is schedule to run in

How to get the most out of Google Ads?

Ultimately to get the most out of Google ads usually comes down to proper set up and management. If keywords are too broad you’ll generate a lot of irrelevant clicks and waste money. If the account is neglected even if it is set up well – over time performance will decline. 


Management consists of reviewing data such as keywords, search terms, ad performance, landing page performance, time of day and day of the week adjustments etc. 


When an account is properly managed you can generate more leads at a lower cost. Where a poorly managed account will wind up wasting more money, produce more expensive leads / sales and the overall quality of the leads will decline. 

What is a good ROAS for Google Ads?

A 300% ROAS is the minimum you should shoot for. This means for every $1 in advertising you spend you are generating $3 in return. This should be a low-end target. My goal for clients is at least a 500% ROAS. It’s not always possible to reach, but it should be a long-term goal. 


You should always work on improving the ROAS of your campaigns to maximize profit. This is why it pays to have a professional manage your account. There are many settings and bid strategies within Google Ads it’s very easy to over spend or pick the wrong strategy. 

How long does it take Google Ads to work?

Every account is different. It depends on the number of keywords in relation to your daily budget. If you have a thousand keywords and a budget of just $10 a day. You’ll never collect enough data to determine which of the thousand keywords drive conversions to your business.


It’s important to manage your ad account efficiently. Ideally, your budget should allow your keywords to show all day long for 30 days. If your budget is small and your CPC is high then you need to increase your daily budget or lower the number of keywords you are targeting. 


Many businesses assume Google Ads won’t work for them, but in many cases the poor performance is due to a low budget or overly broad terms. 

How to track calls from Google ads?

There are several ways to track calls within Google Ads. You can use Google tracking code and place it on your website to track calls. You can also track calls through a call extension. This allows Google to track calls made by searchers clicking on your phone number on a mobile device. 


You can also use a third-party that can track calls made from your site and provide additional details about the caller and a recording of the call. 

What is “expert mode” in Google Ads

Depending on how your Google Ads account was set up – it may have been set up in “smart” mode. Which is a simplistic version of Google Ads. 


The “expert” mode gives you access to all of featured within Google Ads. This is usually reserved for more advanced account managers and the “smart” setting is for those who prefer a more simplistic view of the ads interface. 

How to switch to Google Ads Expert Mode

In order to switch your Google Ad account to expert setting you need to sign in to your Google Ad account. Next, click the “tools” icon on the top right of the page. Finally, select “expert mode”.

What other questions would you like answered? Please comment below and help me create a comprehensive list of questions people want to know about Google Ads.

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